Car Stalled...no start, then started...

QuickMustang

Registered User
I was leaving a red light when all of the sudden the car died on me. I tried to restart it and it wouldn't restart. I got out and wiggled some connectors, checked to make sure I had gas at the fuel rail by pushing the shrader valve, checked the inertia switch in the trunk, got back in and the car fired up. I drove it home and it ran perfect the rest of the way home and starts up fine now. I pulled codes and got a code 21 (Coolant temp sensor out of range). The car was warmed up and running fine before it stalled. It was still warm when I ran the KOEO test. Don't really know what to do now. I just pulled all the plugs off I wigled and put dielectric grease on them. Tach works fine, no upshift light, BHJ balancer. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
>Don't really know what to do now.

I'd consider replacing the ECT sensor.
 
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I'd consider replacing the ECT sensor.

Is there any way a bad ECT sensor would cause the car not to run intermittently like that. It just shut off and even though it was cranking over just fine it wouldn't fire at all when I was trying to start it. I would think an ECT could cause it to run rich or lean but not to cut out completely.
 
I'd get the code cleared anyway to get that out of the way. I had the same issue happen twice to me. First time was on my old 90 SC. It turned out to be the crank sensor but I did have the symptoms of the up shift and no tach. Once it was replaced it never happen again. The second time was on my 95 after a rebuild, The coil wire wasn't fully seated in the connector because there were two orange insulators jammed in the connection causing it not to make good contact :rolleyes:.
 
>Is there any way a bad ECT sensor would cause the car not to run intermittently like that. It just shut off and even though it was cranking over just fine it wouldn't fire at all when I was trying to start it. I would think an ECT could cause it to run rich or lean but not to cut out completely.

Did you read the page at the link?
http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/index.php?p=28

The code could be a result of one or more things that can affect the ECT sensor. One of those of course, is wiring.

These cars are all old enough that wiring is more of an issue than ever. And guess what...[ >I got out and wiggled some connectors ]...a wiring issue can certainly cause an intermittent shut-off.

When you pulled codes, did you perform any 'wiggle tests'?

As suggested, start by addressing that code first and see where things go.
 
A bad or disconnected ECT sensor is not going to cause the car to just up and quit, and not start. The computer will automatically fail it and use an "assumed" temperature.

I had a similar problem with the plug going into the coil pack as was mentioned, only the car completely quit on me at WOT at around 4800 RPM's in 3rd :eek:.... so you can imagine the sinking feeling I got in my gut. Car wouldn't start until I "discovered" the problem.

Frit
 
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